


Switching to Photography

by KouRei (ShinkengerRedBlue)



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-29
Updated: 2016-05-29
Packaged: 2018-07-10 21:26:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7008757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShinkengerRedBlue/pseuds/KouRei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nathanael can't draw anymore, so he switches to photography.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Switching to Photography

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, for Sweenyalice on tumblr! A bit angsty but with a happy ending~!

There were days when Nathanael grew tired of drawing. He sometimes wanted to forget how to shade in, how to blend and make the perfect shadow. He found himself time and time again, contemplating throwing away all his art supplies. He just wanted to stop. Because all he could draw was Marinette. With her beautiful smile and bright eyes, she was all he could think about. So there were days were he didn't draw but the urge was there because she was there. She was always in front of him, either in class or during an akuma attack. He couldn't escape her. It got to the point where he drew her too perfect, covering up her imperfections. She became a goddess in his mind and it was too much.

That's when he switched to photography. It was a better way of capturing her features, of how amazing she was. It softened the edge of longing, of wanting to pick up a pen and sketch. It helped him see her imperfections, how she could do wrong. He could do a burst shot and make a little movie, showing her actions perfectly well. He could focus more in class, since he couldn't take pictures during class. With taking pictures, he couldn't fix something ugly or imperfect. He would have to take it as it was.

It was also how he made the connection. How nobody could see that Marinette was Ladybug, astounded him. Sure Marinette was clumsy and shy sometimes but her confidence was there, like the sun. When she put mind to something, he could watch her shine. Ladybug was a mask, a mask that allowed Marinette to be free. After finding out, Nathanael had more photos of Ladybug than Alya had put together on her blog. He had photos of her swinging around Paris, looking carefree. He loved the pictures he had while she was in battle. He especially loved the photo of her skidding against the road, her eyes calculating her next move.

Looking over all this photos, he felt like a stalker. He had captured every angle of Marinette and of Ladybug. Every good and bad action she did. There was nothing he didn't capture.

But then he felt different. 

The hole in his heart that grew as the days went by, the days where he ignored his sketchbook, suddenly disappeared. He picked up a pencil and sketched for the first time in months. And it was achingly wonderful to have his pencil in his hand. He found himself carefully blending shadows on Marinette's face, detailing her hair strand by strand. He pulled back and grabbed his color pencils, taking his time to shade little by little. Hours went by as he draw Marinette transforming into Ladybug, a scene he had dreamed of and only saw once. He couldn't remember all the details of his memory but he adapted and added his own flare. 

He wiped his sweat and pulled back to look at his finished sketch, immensely proud of it. He could finally draw again and it felt like home. He looked out his window and turned to another page in his sketchbook, roughly sketching the hot sun and the clouds around it. He could feel the sunlight hit his face and tears running down his face. He could draw something than Marinette and it was freeing. His hand wondered the page, mindlessly drawing buildings and trees, with birds in them. His first drawing that wasn't about Marinette and it was soothing.

He took a deep breath. Now he could gather the courage to tell Marinette that he knew she was Ladybug. She could come to him and they could talk and become friends. And maybe in time, something more. But for now, he took down all the pictures that covered his walls and put them in a photo album. He could now focus on other ideas and on other people. 

When he went to school the next day, people could see his change. He had looked sunken, a little desperate, for a lack of words. But now, he was refreshed and happy. Juleka had smiled at him and patted his shoulder, the only one who really could understand him since she had gone through a slump with her music. He held his sketchbook, the one with Marinette transforming into Ladybug, in his arms. He was going to give it to her and calmly tell her that he was there if she ever need a shoulder to lean on. 

He knew that Chat Noir had no idea who she was, meaning Marinette was alone. She had no one to talk to and confide to. Nathanael wondered why she hadn't seen that Adrien was Chat Noir. It wasn't hard to figure out since Alya kept saying it. He had figured it out when Adrien had showed off in gym class, doing a pose Nathanael had photographed by accident when he was trying to take a picture of Ladybug. 

His smile grew bitter when he realized that Adrien and Marinette loved each other but they didn't know it. Chat loved Ladybug but Marinette loved Adrien and Nathanael wanted to smack them across the back of the head. They were wonderful for each other, or at least that's what he thought. Marinette had proved him wrong. 

When Nathanael showed her the picture and the realization passed through her eyes, her smile was radiant. She held his hand and gave him the sweetest kiss he could have ever dreamed of. His face must have looked confused when she pulled away, so she explained herself. 

“I did have a crush on Adrien but I couldn't help but worry about you when I noticed you weren't drawing anymore. I couldn't help but watch you Nathanael, the same way you did to me.”

Nathanael blinked, was this a dream? Was she really returning his affections? Did she know how deep he was about her? He doubt it but it was, hopefully, a good start. He squeezed her hand,

“I stopped drawing because I couldn't get you off my mind. But now I'm fine, thank you for worrying about me.”

Marinette chuckled, “So how did you find out I was Ladybug? I thought I was more careful about transforming.”

Nathanael pulled out his camera and waved it around, “When I stopped drawing, I took up photography. I was taking pictures of Ladybug when I saw you detransform. I'm surprised Alya didn't find out.”

Marinette rolled her eyes, “I try my best to stay away from her. Otherwise I'll never stop hearing it from her.”

Nathanael smiled and listened to Marinette rant about Alya. Her annoyed face was cute and he tried to commit her expression to memory. He would draw her later, maybe with Alya in the background. Maybe he could go back to making comics and finished the one he had started. Everything was finally clicking into place for Nathanael.


End file.
